Best Possible Outcome
by BleedOutYourEmpathy
Summary: What if Slade had met Raven first? Would it have changed anything? No. It changed everything. Slaven
1. Chapter 1

Yeah, I know.. I have two ongoing fics already. But this pairing is actually my favorite. I just wanted to think of how to approach it. It seems to me usually this pairing seems to be out of character to the extreme. And if their in character, the story is usually so angst ridden I want to cry.

Let's see if I can warp this pairing into mah own little crazy brainchild. This fiction is considering a few what ifs. What if Raven had met Slade first? I haven't taken any liberties with their pasts, that I can think of. Have fun. And don't eat the yellow gumdrops.

* * *

Deathstroke had completed his objective, the first one he had given himself after the aftermath of Gotham. Which had been very simple, in retrospect. Get the hell out. But the Batman was rather relentless. And now that he had seen Slade's face (if only in military records) it had been time to fade out of the spotlight. Let Jack Napier and the rest of them finish what he had started. The profits would make and keep him a very well off man.

One day he would kill Batman, and that little shit Robin. But until then, he had an empire to establish, and some chaos to spread. Where better then a new city? Jump was prosperous, with several enterprises up and coming. And the best part was there was virtually no opposition to his kind of dealings. They had yet to acquire a set of annoying do-gooder freaks. And when they did.. He would know enough about them from the beginning to ruin them. It would be nice playing games with a new set of toys.

He briefly felt a ache ; a tinge of regret for leaving the city his three children lived in. But none of them spoke with him anymore. They hadn't in years, and unless they initiated it he would leave them be. His own father had held him back. He would not make the same mistake. And as for his former home; it was only a house,. Jump city was his for the taking.

The prospect intrigued Slade Wilson more then anything else.

But what name to use? What could be possibly change his codename into? He had been working on a new uniform, something a bit sleeker, with a few more advantages in safety and style. A name change would do him good. And then he knew what he wanted it to be. What he had always dreamed of, when his ambitions had first developed into a glimmering idea that would not stop nagging.

_Slade_.

For the first time in years, he would actually be Slade.

* * *

On a street-corner, five blocks from the joyous villain that would soon become notorious; a young woman was laying on her side, eyes closed. A thin line of blood dripped from her mouth. Spitting it into the gutter with little ceremony; the oddly clothed thing stood, brushing herself off. The transportation spell had worked. She still felt a bit out of it though, and the instant she was trying to walk she levitated. The gravity here was a bit different then Azarath.

_Azarath_.

Raven felt her heart flutter with a quickly smothered hope. She would never see it again. Not while she was still a threat. Not until she proved them all wrong. The prophecy was nothing. Words. Raven knew, as she knew herself from the inside out. Yes; she had a demon in her. And she was dangerous. But the end of the world would never be her fault. And she would prove it one day. Show them all the truth.

But for this moment in time; she was standing in the middle of a highway on a late evening in all black. She distantly heard a loud growling before the world became shooting stars and exploding suns of agony. Her eyes wrenched closed and she didn't know how far she rolled after being struck. Fear was first. Had she broken anything? A lighting fixture shattered above her head and Raven flinched, biting her lip.

**No** emotion.. _Something is broken in your leg_. **Possible** _fractured wrist. Dislocated shoulder. Broken cheekbone_.

She accounted the damage but was still too shocked to stand. Her first night on this strange planet and she had already almost died. Hearing footsteps, she scrambled up, her left leg limply dragging until she braced her back against the wall of the bakery she had flown into on impact.

" Who's there?!"

In all the commotion her hood had fallen down, and Slade Wilson was intrigued. Purple hair? He saw no traces of a dye job. And those eyes. The chakra stone told him all he needed to know. An eccentric hippy with a fetish for medieval clothing; or someone not form here. As in their planet. The black orbs that glowing around her hands seemed to stack his odds in favor of the second. But they dropped after a few moments, the girl clutching her wrist and hissing a bit. He could see the odd jut of the bone form her. A reddish brown scrape was bleeding from her cheekbone.

For the first time in a long while, Deathstroke the Terminator felt.. Like an asshole. He hadn't been obeying the speed limit or watching where he was going. If Slade killed someone the first day in his city, he wanted it to be a purposeful, useful death. Not some little girl with special powers on a highway like a deer in the off season.

" Your not going to die. That will save me on insurance claims at the very least. Get in. I'll take you to the hospital."

She blinked. Then managed a small frown. Her curvaceous body tense as a piano wire. He had just slammed into her with a transport vehicle. What made him think she would go anywhere with him?

But her arm hurt. And he mentioned a hospital. Hopefully the people here knew at least how to set a bone. Obviously driving wasn't their strong point.

" Fine. Try not to slam into any other unsuspecting pedestrians on the way; I wouldn't want to have to share the spotlight or anything."

She climbed into his passenger seat. He seemed too normal for words. If he tried anything; she would throw him out of a glass window. Problem solved. But Slade kept his distance, driving a bit slower and wondering where the chit had come from. She obviously wasn't a hero. Didn't even seem the type, with the wry humor and the way she had reacted with fear instead of anger at his impromptu wreck. He hit the ignition. The hospital wouldn't be far.

* * *

The ride was tense and silent, both of the introverts wondering what the other was doing, thinking, their motives, and their reasons for beign in the city. And drawing their own silent conclusions. Slade made sure the volume on the radio was almost high enough to make conversation impossible. Frank Sinatra sang, and Raven listened intently to the way this man had no regrets. The lyrics weren't too horrible. This must not have been the eighties music her mother had mentioned once. Arella didn't speak of Earth very much, but the music had been her favorite thing.

Raven had been raised by monks. By people who had almost mind boggling self control. So when they pulled up in front of a enormous building bearing a red cross and a strange name, she sat there, looking at him. For the first time her eyes processed his face. And he read her own. The look though.. It was the same he was wearing. A poker face. And he wanted to know what she was. Like a match lit in a dark room; Slade Wilson's curiosity was smitten.

" My name is Vincent Wilson. May I ask for yours?"

Sarcasm had been their first words at each other. It seemed fitting that their own icy politeness would follow. Slade's because he was rather uncomfortable with this new young lady. Raven's because she had never been this close to a man who wasn't a monk, or ninety years old. The eye patch was rather intimidating as well.

" Raven Roth. Just in case I do die, I don't want to be anything as boring as Jane Doe."

He nodded, before exiting the car. Walking to the other side, he opened her door.

Only to see she wasn't inside.

The sound of soft; booted feet on the concrete alerted him to his momentary charge. She was walking into the hospital with her back to him, levitating two feet off the ground. Had she phased through the car's steel body? Interesting. He could think of many uses for such a talent, none of them legal.

_That_ could have been the end. But she had piqued his curiosity. And the rules of chivalry (and lawsuits) stated he should go with her.

* * *

She almost glared when he sat down in the uncomfortable white plastic chair beside her, watching as she filled out forms. And by fill out be meant the pen was being controlled by a sort of black cloudlike thing, which jotted down the answers to various questions. The left must have been her good wrist then. The name slot said Rachel. Not Raven. But he noticed the middle initial was an r as well. She had taken his own method of false naming and stolen it.

Where his father had come up with Slade Vincent Wilson he would never know. Running a hand through hair so blonde it was almost white, he caught her hands pausing on a question. Her eyes seemed to narrow a bit, and he saw a snow globe on the waiting desk cover in dark energy and shatter. She flinched, and a light bulb broke. Hissing, the girl seemed to be trying to stop it. Was her control on whatever power she had really that slippery?

Raven saw his mind do the math. The rest of the people seemed to look back and forth before dismissing the occurrence. Sweet Azarath, were these people really that stupid? Her wrist throbbed, and she turned to him. Loathe to actually ask for help; she pointed to the question for some clarification.

" _Do you have proof you are a valid citizen of the United States? If no, Then please state your country of origin and have identification ready for examination, along with proof of insurance." _

He had been right. Big surprise. The hospitals were lax on their identification laws. He took the clipboard from her and ignored her faint protest, jotting down a few lines and returning it to her. He produced a birth certificate from his pocket and attached it with the papers. His daughters' birth certificate from so long ago. Slade considered this his repayment to her for trying to make her the hood ornament for a dual cab of the Dodge variety.

Raven seemed to understand. Touching the certificate, she thanked him in that gravelly monotonous voice, before giving the paperwork to the desk-worker. He admired her control. She showed emotions so subtly he had to watch her face to catch them. And he was a master at reading people. His mind was drawn into his newest idea as the girl was lead into a room. Luckily, there hadn't been a long wait.

Could he find the apprentice here? It had been a long time since that idle fantasy had reared it's ugly head. Lade rolled one blue eyes in audacity. She was foreign, not stupid. Good mannered, quiet, strange. Manipulating her into thinking he would help her settle into the city would be easy. Making her see the benefits of crime would be hard. He had seen her spine stiffen a bit at the lie the birth certificate indicated.

Hopefully they would not study the differing names too closely.

* * *

The hospital music was slowly driving Slade insane. It had been three damned hours and the chit was still in the E.R. The Human League was playing, belting out something about stalkers wanting to make someone sorry. He was close to leaving. But every time he stood up and walked to the door the image of someone standing next to him in a matching uniform sprang to mind and he reigned in his impatience.

She had promise. Just form his first meeting with her. She hadn't seemed to mind the injuries she sustained, she had good control.. And she had hesitated getting into the car with him. Good instincts. And the fact that she was female would make her easier to mould into the position he expected of her. With no ties ( and obviously she had none, if she accepted a strangers help to the hospital at two A.M.) and no home; it was only a matter of time and effort.

Slade tried to convince himself he was being reckless and hasty; but the adrenaline for the idea kept pumping. Why not? If she refused he could kill her then. If she accepted, and willingly; it could be the best career choice he had ever made. She would need training of course. A gentle guide in the right direction. And by gentle he meant it wouldn't kill her.. Unless she was careless.

" Wintergreen would like company when I'm away.."

He murmured it under his breath when a delicate clearing of a throat was heard. Drifting out of his semi-malicious thoughts, he noticed her standing there. Her arm was casted from the fist halfway up the wrist. Her leg wasn't, but it was wrapped in a black support brace that forced her foot straight. Her face had been cleaned up and her shoulder fixed. The scrape on her cheek was a clean; angry red swatch across muted gray skin. The nurse was wheeling her in a chair, and the girl didn't seem to like it one bit.

The blonde nurse batted two green eyes at Wilson and giggled.

" Are you her dad? This Grumpy Greta needs someone to sign her release papers before she can go. "

Raven looked ready to murder the woman, who was decked in bright green scrubs decorated with Christmas lights. In July. Slade smiled with false charm.

" I'm her godfather. Here."

After a paperwork fiasco, they were on the way to the car. He gave her the crutches they had issued; letting the woman dispose of them how she saw fit. Raven levitated to the car and phased through the door, sitting comfortably by the time Slade was adjusting his seatbelt. She caught his gaze from the opposite side of the car. Fidgeting, she took the initiative.

" .. Thank you. I'm sorry you had to wait for so long. Half the doctors in that place need a lobotomy to keep their medical licenses. "

He just nodded. And then he started driving.

Five minutes later he started to ask questions, his odd; cadenced voice setting her at ease but almost scaring her with it's tone and ability to make her feel… pliable.

" I'm assuming you just ame into town. I confess I have myself. Do you have a place to stay? "

Her head shook to the negative even as she spoke.

" No. "

" Is there anyone you can go to?"

" No."

" Where will you live? How will you buy food and clothing?"

" I don't know."

He paused. And Raven realized just how foolish she was. For some reason the way his eye said it made her feel even more inadequate. Her irrational anger at that caused a street sign to implode. Slade avoided it easily, his eyes never leaving her face.

" Why would you leave home without a plan?"

Her eyes flashed red before returning to azure. He noted that. Emotion based powers? Easily manipulated, in the correct situation and with a certain amount of trust. Yes. Her monotone was wavering.

" They **sent** me away. I don't think they **cared **what I needed as long as they didn't have to provide it, alright?"

Feisty. He made sure to note that. His light antagonism was getting results. Her eyes seemed to watch him with a bit of distaste for seeing through her, for poking holes through her plans.

" So; your homeless, jobless, and you are injured. That settles it then. "

She was still wary.

" Settles what exactly?"

Slade gave her a smile that Raven accepted as humorous even though it was anything but.

" Where you will be staying. I can't in good conscience let a young woman sleep on the streets. I have a spare bedroom, and I promise I wouldn't try to kill you again."

His eyes were sincere in the promise. Not unless she refused him, when he offered her his lucrative position.

Raven knew it was this or a dark alley. Her pride roared at her to decline, her paranoia kept wondering what was in it for this man, this Wilson fellow. But the rest of her knew survival was more important.

" Fine. Only until I'm healed though. I don't want to be a burden. "

He didn't look at her after her acquiescence, focusing on shifting for the moment. His smile was almost dangerous, but Raven was absorbed in the city's skyline.

" Believe me, Dear; you won't be."


	2. Stir Fry

Holy Rollers! I wasn't going to update so fast but to be honest I had a wonderful incentive. My all time favorite ff author commented on this story, and I fangirled for a half hour before I started typing. So thank you RabulaTasa. And every else who sent me encouraging reviews:

Ayame1313,Tokyo Blue ,Taby , Skitly-Tab . Sorry about the typos btw, mild dyslexia always jacks up my form, and spell-check doesn't catch them because their usually real words. But I'll edit a little slower this time. This chapter was inspired by Cake, and their song Frank Sinatra.

Raven's transitioning will be very gradual, so bear with me. Slade's tentative with her, trying to know more without badgering to the point of alienating her. And Raven is.. Herself. The other titans may make an appearance in the next few chapters, but for now it's just my two favorite people. Enjoy.

* * *

The House was nicer then Raven expected. He had parked the car in the driveway carefully, flood lights clicking on the instant the car rumbled up the narrow strip of cement. Raven had to cover her eyes against the flood of illumination and noticed for the first time his visor had remained flipped down the entire time he had driven. Something about him was off. But Raven didn't sense any malicious intentions for her.

He hadn't come to open her door, and Raven was glad, as she had already started walking up the stone walkway to the front of the dark blue house. It had a white stone roof. A white front door. The smooth stones she walked on cut circular indents in the lush green grass, accented with delicate floral bushes. The tiny white flowers made her nose itch, but the place was very.. Calming. The white pillars that were supports for the patio were draped in a midnight blue vine of flowers as well. Raven noticed they were closed, and he caught her off guard by standing directly behind her.

" Morning Glories. I am a rather early riser, I take some satisfaction in knowing I am one of the few people who sees them in blossom."

His breath had almost stirred her hair . She sped up to put some distance between them. If she had turned to see it, she would notice he was smiling. She wasn't all stony looks and pouts then. Walking up the three stairs that separated the yard from the open air patio, Raven gently touched one of the blooms on the vine. Seeming satisfied with it, she surveyed the décor.

The patio furniture was a white and light oak mix, and even though it was beautiful it didn't look comfortable. He must not like to entertain. She noticed a small grill. Meat -eater. That was good. She couldn't survive without some kind of protein. She was half demon after all. Vegetables just didn't cut it. During her survey he had rung the doorbell of his own home. When it opened , a slightly elderly gentleman with a kind face answered.

" Good afternoon, Master Wilson. I trust you arrived safely? "

Slade grinned, a wry sense of humor. Wintergreen could obviously see the crippled looking gray girl with him and had chosen propriety over curiosity. One of the reasons he was still Deathstroke's butler

" Besides a slight traffic incident yes. This is Ms. Roth, she'll be with us for a time. I'd like it if you could ready the guest bedroom for her. "

Raven caught the tone between the older men. Slade hadn't asked. It had been a good natured order and the old housekeep had accepted it like Slade spoke that way every day. So he was well off. Raven stored that information for later. She almost flinched when Wintergreens elbow made a popping noise as he took the cumbersome crutches from her hand. She hadn't gotten rid of them yet?

" I'll just store these in the coat closet, Ms. Roth. Sir, a late dinner is prepared in the kitchens, if you would like to indulge. I will go tend to the room immediately. "

He didn't wait for a response, before disappearing. Raven was surprised the man could move that fast without falling into a dusty pile somewhere. Old people were rare on Azarath; where the monks would let themselves die when they caught a disease that was difficult to cure. Raven turned off the reminiscingbefore she broke something . This wasn't her home after all. But it was very comfortable.

The vaulted ceilings and interior design catered to a liking for darker colors, but there was enough brightness in the walls and artwork that the room didn't look either garish or barren. The furniture was a deep burgundy, and the carpeting was black, until the dining room and kitchen. Then it was a deep redwood color that drew the eyes. Slade was walking that way when he turned to see if she was following. She gave him a look that he knew was a question.

" You are hungry, are you not?"

And Raven was following.

* * *

The kitchen was even roomier then the patio had been. Dark green seemed to be the tone for it, with black granite countertops that wrapped around the entire room. The stainless steel refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and very expensive indoor grilling set completed her first impression. Well off. But he seemed unaware of the extravagance, taking a wooden cooking spoon form a nearby drawer and scooping some of the food from the pot on the stove onto a gleaming white ceramic plate. He found another and did the same, offering it to her without turning.

She was a very quiet mover. Which meant he had excellent hearing. Raven took it to the table and took a seat at the small two person affair. There had been no larger one, not even in the dining room. That had seated four, this seated two. This gave every indication that he respected privacy. Which made Raven wonder if she was intruding on his life, accepting a place to stay. But eh wouldn't have offered if he didn't want her there. She knew enough just from meeting him.

Vincent Wilson was a reserved man, with a cordial, almost sarcastic veneer that she could appreciate. He had a nice, silent home and a clean and very polished lifestyle. She saw no evidence of a female inhabitant, which she took to mean he wasn't married. He didn't look at all physically ill, so she refrained form thinking disease might have isolated him. All she had to know was if he was an avid scholar, and her opinion would be set.

He was tolerable.

Murmuring thanks , she took the silverware he offered, as well as the scrutinizing looks. They weren't derisive but intrusive, in the mildest of ways. After a few bites, she managed to get annoyed with it and swallows before speaking. The slight cutting edge in her voice made Slade proud.

"Yes, it's my natural color. And it's rude to stare. "

He took the seat across from her. Biting into the meal, he ate for a few moments in silence before attempting to redeem himself to the now defensive Raven. Smooth and perfectly at ease, he looked up and seemed to just notice how tense she was.

" I was actually wondering if you were enjoying the stir fry. I apologize for making you uncomfortable. "

She actually looked crestfallen after that comment, and easily restored her muted face, her eyes showing what it couldn't. He noticed a piece of his cutlery come to black coated life for a moment before it dissipated after a rather pointed effort from Raven. His face seemed interested, and she knew the questions were eating the man alive. But he didn't shy from it. Instead he watched her face, until she had her mild outburst tamped down.

" I'm sorry. I'm used to people staring by now. "

He accepted her apology with a nod. And continued eating instead of saying anything about her powers, instead of asking the questions she knew he had. Why? What was his silent acceptance and why did she still feel like she had to explain? Instead of following that instinct, Raven ate as well. And the silence was comfortable and very easy to enjoy.

Slade was pleased. She didn't natter or discuss nothing for hours like some people. To the point and frank, Raven kept their conversation limited to questions about the food, the location of a teapot she could use, and platitudes for both the gathering and use of said utensil. He made a point to give her space and not to ask her questions just yet. Let his silent acceptance of her oddities gain her trust for him.

It was the one flaw in people such as himself. They assumed someone who would allow them their secrets was trustworthy and would therefore divulge them sooner. He had a feeling there was much to know about this one.

* * *

Raven had been escorted to the white and burnt sienna themed room after their late dinner, and she was surprised to see an adjoining bathroom, as well as a set of fresh towels awaiting her on the bed. She didn't know if she could trust Wilson yet. But she was covered in her own blood and day old clothing. It was time for a change.

Stripping, she had a bit of trouble with the tight sleeve of her leotard, but a quick use of her powers and Raven was ready for some relaxation. She ran the water hot, before sinking into it when the tub was halfway full, her casted arm wrapped in a sheet of plastic Raven had discovered on top of the sink. Now she knew why Wintergreen was kept around at his age.

Her mind drifted to her host, and the probability that he might be a rapist. But she knew she could handle him with a rather bad burst of dark energy, and settled into the water to sooth sore muscles . Everything hurt, damn his car. She just hoped that her body healed as quickly as usual. If not this situation might get rather obnoxious. Living with strangers was not Raven's idea of a good time. Especially not roommates of the male persuasion. And not as strong as Wilson looked, even if he had one eye and a rather nice smile, for all it's bad natured feeling.

Eventually she stood, drying and walking into the room she had been warranted, noticing for the first time the rather large floor length mirror on the left wall. Gently laying the towel on the side of the bed, she walked up to it. Indulging in the same motions every woman at one time or another did; Raven studied herself in the mirror. She was small. That was the first impression. The second thing that struck peoples eyes was the stone in her forehead, the slender diamond cut Ruby that helped her focus and channel her energies.

Moving on, her hands splayed across her cheekbones. She had a rather oval face, which accentuated the slight tilt of her eyes. Her hair was cropped short, but soft, and her shoulders were strong. Raven thought her breasts were well shaped, a bit large for her stature but still not large enough to make people obnoxious about them. Her hips were the same, her body perfectly proportional. The only complaint she could voice had to deal with the color of her skin. She looked like a corpse.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she dropped the spell she always kept on her skin. The tattoos seemed to glow from inside of her, a brilliant fire red that was impossible not to look at. When Raven opened her eyes again, they were still there, laughing at her. Normalcy wasn't her destiny. And these marks proved it. Somewhere though, even if she denied it, Raven enjoyed them. She did think they were beautiful.

And that made her feel so sick inside she turned form the mirror, called back her illusion, and pulled from that pocket of time where she had been keeping all her things. The first was her clothing, which she left in the ornate wooden box the monks had made for her. Pulling out a pair of soft sleeping pants and a long white shirt, she crawled into the bed and stroked the silken comforter until she fell asleep, meditation forgotten in the midst of weary body and exhausted mind.

* * *

From his control room across town, Slade smiled. The cameras had captured her little self evaluation and her magic show. A useful girl indeed, if his plans came to fruition. Signing onto his various false search accounts, Slade began sending out the pictures of the different symbols on her body. Perhaps be could learn more about Raven.

And that could be the key to developing his new apprentice, despite what she wanted or needed. At the very least he wanted to know where she had come from.

* * *

Raven slept soundly while Slade dug up information discreetly, never knowing that in one night he had seen more of her then her own mother.

* * *

The next morning the room was erupting with a cacophony. She fell off of the bed in enough time to see a pillow explode and sighed, before looking out the window. A car alarm had been going off, a pink haired girl leaning inside of it before slipping in through the open window and fumbling, for a moment, before the engine blared into life. Driving off, Raven saw he had popped the curb and torn up the sod at the beginning of the lawn.

Using her powers, Raven thought of the car being still, of the tires not working, of the girl inside taking it and knowing it wasn't her own. The axels broke from the power of her mental suggestion, the car hovering in the air for a moment before slamming the foot it took to reach the pavement. Raven stood, her leotard winding it's way up the girls body with the mild thought of it being there, and Raven opened her window and slipped down, walking into the street and waiting.

The girls hair was the first thing she saw; and Raven had to cringe at the vibrant and rather obnoxious way she carried herself. Overconfident. She Saw Raven and said something that sounded a lot like nothing, accusing Raven of ruining a perfectly good GTA, whatever that was. Instead of answering, Raven encased the girl in dark energy, before sweeping her arm as she slammed into a lamp-post.

" Don't ruin good landscaping because you can't drive. "

She turned to head back into the house and narrowly dodged the pink energy that had been aimed at her back. The girl smiled, a grin that reminded Raven of wolves.

" I'm Jinx. And your in for a world of hurt, if you think you can pull a stunt like that and just walk away. "

Raven raised an eyebrow, her own hands covered in inky black. Banter wasn't her style.

Slade watched as the plant he had found baited Raven. She was good. Jinx landed a few hits that made Raven sloppy, especially with her bad arm. But Slade saw she was already using her leg again, and that the gash across her cheekbone was almost gone. Good. It gave him limited time to give her a legitimate reason to stay here. But she wouldn't be out of commission for fighting.

In the end, Jinx managed a limping escape, While Raven used some energy to return the car to it's parking spot and shut off the alarm. Luckily for her, it was nine in the morning and it wasn't summer break yet. Everyone was either at school or work. She returned through the window, only to find him standing inside of it. Watching.

" You're an amateur, but very good. If you don't mind me asking.. Why did you stop her?"

Raven saw that he was asking ; and that he wanted to know. this would have a bearing on his opinion of her as a whole. And Raven wa not a liar, no matter what other faults she did have.

" It seemed rather malicious to me. If there had been a real reason she needed it besides joyriding , then by all means. Those people had three cars parked there yesterday night. But her intent was only to cause a scene. And I detest attention whores and wasteful behavior. "

He nodded, before turning around. He made it to her door before looking over his shoulder at her, eyes catching her own. She had been staring at his back with that soft expression. Wondering what he thought of her now.

" If you want to learn how to defend yourself with more then that power, I know more then enough to teach you. Once you decide to leave you'll need to be able to protct yourself. You never know what kind of people dwell in large cities. And this display proved that your powers won't always be infallible. "

Raven thought on that. Her powers were enough. But she had gotten winded during that fight, at a crucial moment, and if Jinx had been any faster Raven would have lost, and rather badly. Perhaps he was right.

" If it wouldn't be a bother."

His eye caught her own, and she noticed for the first time he wasn't wearing an eye patch. The hollow where it had been was carved out in scars.

" Yes or no, Raven."

She paused. Why was he being so serious about this? She could take care of her-

She had already been hit by a car and been in a fight.

" Yes."

" Good. Now, brunch will be served in half an hour. Theres tea waiting in the kitchen, and I will be in the back lawn if you need anything. "

With his departure, Slade left Raven with a mind full of questions and an empty stomach. Keeping her off balance and on the fence would be hard. But soon she would make her choice. She had already shown him her potential. When her answer hadn't been ' it was the right thing to do,' Slade knew it was only eventual.

And his plans were set in motion.


End file.
